The first was filled with all Lonnie Johnson songs. Lonnie lived in Philly for most of the latter part of his life. He was an amazing blues guitar ground breaker who also played jazz with Eddie Lang and Louis Armstrong. At the release party, I had the honor of meeting Lonnie's family and the amazing guitarist Jef Lee Johnson, who seemed to channel Lonnie in his performance.

This album cover was not used, as the concept for the album was changed. Harmonious Wail is a great Gypsy style jazz band who uses Django-esque intricate guitar work combined with very sweet vocals. The working title was "Who Loves the Sun" after the Velvet Underground song that is on the album. Aaron being a great conceptualist, had Harmonious Wail play some rock gems like this in their own style. They also cover Tom Waits' "You Can Never Hold Back Spring", which I love.

The band overhauled their entire website and marketing materials with a hipper, more quirky and old-tymie sensibility. I like this one much better and feel that it more aptly fits the mood of the album. A very generous friend of mine modeled for the front cover for me.

The Philadelphia Cartoonist Society is doing a joint event with IMAX for the release of WATCHMEN. At the King of Prussia IMAX Theater, we have our work displayed in the lobby as posters for the film. This piece above is my contribution. They have it framed up and lit from behind at 24" x 36".

There is an art show at Atlantis the Lost Bar coming up for March (2442 Frankford Avenue). As far as I know, it is their first art show. I didn't want to be involved in an event so soon after the book release party. I don't like beating people over the head to come out to stuff. However, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Roger Petersen, one of my best friends and favorite artists, was asked to do this show. So I had an opportunity to display work with a guy whose artwork I am in awe of. Roger will be displaying a whole slew of hand-painted baseball cards. He picked his favorite ball players from olden times and did these amazing monochromatic watercolor portraits. I will be displaying framed works mostly tied in with nostalgia, music, street corners, romance. Some pics will be new as well. I also made a limited edition silkscreen print just for this show so people could walk away with something that was inexpensive if they wanted. I didn't want to bug anyone about selling my original work, especially so soon after people were so generous in their response to the book release party.

But if you feel so inclined just to come out and hang for a bit on a Saturday evening, maybe have a beer, that'd be great. Rog will be there on First Friday. I will be there Saturday at 4PM (immediately following the Philadelphia Brewing Company's First Anniversary Party).

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I kinda screwed up on this in that the direction of the bricks are not parallel to the bracing of the sign. But the picture I had for reference was taken with a disposable camera with no flash, so it was hard to make out the background. I took the photo in high school.